Remembering the Class of 1978
by Serena Gemini
Summary: Harry desperately wants to listen to stories of his parents' youth after Sirius' death. It is up to the remaining few to tell him what he needs to hear. OC play major parts. PreHBP
1. Prologue

Hey everyone! I am back with a new multi-chapter story! Woot! I got the idea for this story when I was "talking" with my friend Angela (FFN s/n: insidebroomcloset). We decided to use our conversations as a basis for this piece. And yes, we've added ourselves into it. The story is set post-ootp. I do not own anything except for four characters. Have fun and don't forget to **review** when you're done reading! Thanks a ton!  
**Serena Gemini

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"Please, just tell me! You were there, I need to know!" Harry begged the two women in front of him.

"All right, Harry...Just wait for Remus, he should be here any--"

"Moment?" Remus finished, walking into the kitchen of Number 12, Grimmauld Place and taking a seat next to the red-haired woman who'd been speaking.

"Okay, he's here, now will you all please tell me about them? Anything at all that you remember. I want-- no, I need to hear your memories." Harry sounded desperate.

"Okay, we should all get comfortable...This could take a while." said the other, dark-haired woman, pulling out several bottles of butterbeer and passing them out.

Harry looked rapt with attention, ignoring his drink. Smiling sadly to themselves, Remus and the two women, who's names were Jessica and Angel, opened their bottles and began.

"Where to start?" Mused Angel, the dark-haired woman.

"Well, why not begin with the year that everyone was still happy? Seventh." Jessica, the fair woman replied thoughtfully.

"That sounds like as good a place as any." Remus sighed, looking extremely tired.

"Okay then, here we go..." Angel said, nodding lightly.

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Okay, the first chapter is REALLY short, but i just wanted to get it out here. The next chapter is a lot longer and will probably be up in an hour or two from this one.

**Serena Gemini**

**...Review!**


	2. First things first

Hey yall, so sorry for the long delay, but my dad crashed our computer while he was trying to install new camera software. Anyway, the second chapter of 'Remembering the Marauders' is now up! Have fun, and to answer any questions that have been asked, Jessica, Angel, and Angela are my characters. And there might also be a few more added in the future. Don't forget to **review**! Criticism, as well as encouragement is accepted and wanted! Flames will be disregarded---If you don't like my little story, too bad, you don't have to read it. Okay, anywho- Enjoy!

**Serena Gemini**

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"Come on you bloody slowpokes!" Sirius said jovially, ushering his friends along toward the Hogwarts Express.

"It's just the ride to Hogwarts, Padfoot, why are you so excited this year?" Peter asked, trying to manuver his oddly-packed trolly through the crowd.

"Oh please Wormtail! Even you can't be _that_ daft! Today is the start of our seventh and _final_ year at Hogwarts! This year, we will truly rule the school!" Sirius barked enthusiastically.

"Oh...okay.." Peter finally understood.

"Prongs, do you think-- Prongs? Oh bloody hell man, it's just Evans, let's move!" Sirius rolled his eyes at James, who had just caught sight of Lily Evans.

"This is the year boys, this is the year!" James exclaimed, referring to his mission of sorts to get the fiery redhead to go with him.

The other boys just shook their heads and laughed.

"Sirius was really excited that day for more than one reason, actually." Remus said, looking sad.

"Angela." Both Angel and Jessica said at the same time.

"Angela?" Harry repeated, not recognizing the name.

"You've met her, actually," Angel said, "She's my twin sister."

"And the love of Sirius' life." Jessica added gravely.

"And a deatheater..." Remus growled.

"Whoa...If she was -- and Sirus -- love?" Harry was thoroughly confused.

"She wasn't _always_ a Deatheater, Remus." Angel said defensively.

"Angel, she's evil, you and I both know that!" Remus spat, looking disgruntled.

"Ah, Remus is just a bit jaded, no matter how good or evil your Godmother is," Jessica chuckled, and seeing the look on Harry's face, continued, "Yes, I said Godmother. Of course, she isn't any longer, I am, but she and Sirius had been married. Shall we continue reminiscing, then?"

Both Remus and Angel nodded, and they continued, ignoring Harry's look of incredible confusion.

"Okay, I have to go to the front for a while. Don't be stupid." James said once the train was in motion, pointedly looking at Sirius.

"_What?_!" Sirius replied incredulously as James left the compartment, laughing.

"All right, Lily?" James called once he saw the redhead again, this time in the Head's compartment.

"Hello, Potter." Lily replied nonchalantly, sitting next to her best friend, Jessica Peters.

"Feels like a good year, doesn't it?" James said, trying to initiate a conversation with the object of his affections.

"I suppose so." Lily answered, barely acting civil.

James looked down at Jessica, silently pleading her for some sort of help.

Jessica knew how much James adored Lily. She knew what he felt for her best friend was real. She knew it had the capacity to become love. Jessica smiled placidly and stood up.

"Seeing as I'm not really supposed to be in here, I'm going to go and find Angel and the other boys." Jessica left the compartment without another word.

"What happened then?" Harry asked eagerly.

"No clue," Jessica shrugged, "There wasn't anyone else with them until we got to the school.

"Oy, Prongs, we're over here!" shouted Sirius as he climbed into a carriage after Remus, Peter, Angel, and Jessica.

James quickly made his way to the carriage and clamored in hastily as it began to move.

"James, where's Lily?" Jessica asked almost immediately.

"In another carriage. We got into a row just before we arrived at the station. She said she had to get away to blow off some steam for a little bit." James scowled, feeling truly distraught.

"Rotten luck, mate." Remus said, looking run down himself.

"Eh, don't worry James. She's not as hot-tempered as she used to be. She'll calm down soon enough." Angel said, adjusting her robes absentmindedly.

"What did you fight about anyway?" Peter asked.

"She made a comment about how a Blast-Ended Skrewt would make a better Head Boy than me." James answered resentfully."Ouch..." Jessica, Angel, and Sirius all said in unison.

"You all keep telling me that my parents began dating in their seventh year, but it sounds like my mum still despised dad." Harry interrupted.

"Oh, trust me Harry, she didn't hate James at all at that point. Quite the contrary actually. You see, over the previous summer, she developed quite a crush on your father, but she was really stubborn. She refused to admit her feelings to anyone but me and Angel." Jessica smiled.

"Maybe we should 'fast forward' a bit...Save Harry from some of the confusion. Halloween seems good, doesn't it?" Angel said empathetically.

"Sure." Remus replied tiredly. Jessica nodded.

"Hogsmeade today!" Sirius bellowed, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Yes Sirius, we all know this," Lily laughed, having just come down from her dormitory, "Especially since James and I were the ones who planned it!"

"Sirius just wants to go snog my sister, don't you Padfoot?" Angel asked slyly.

"So what if he does?" James replied, looking up from his newest issue of _'Which Broomstick'._

"Yeah, so what? I can't help the fact that Angela is hopelessly in love with me." Sirius remarked arrogantly, making the teenagers laugh.

"Come on guys, let's not be too late this time, okay?" Lily looked slightly impatient.

"Sure, let's go..." Jessica stood up and climbed through the portrait hole with Lily, closely followed by James and the rest of the group.

Once in town, everyone flocked to The Three Broomsticks. James took the money they had all pooled and bought seven Butterbeers. Everyone sat at a large table in a corner of the room and talked about their plans while they sipped their drinks.

About fifteen minutes later, the door swung open and Angela, Angel's twin sister walked inside and looked around.

"Aha, that's my cue." Sirius chugged the remainder of his drink and hastily made his way across the crowded pub toward the girl.

He flashed a genuine smile at her when he reached her and whispered in her ear. As soon as he'd finished, Angela jumped into Sirius' arms and kissed him hard. When they finally broke apart, he took Angela's hand and they hurried outside together.

"It's their one year anniversary." Angel said simply, smiling into her drink.

"Sirius actually left just to be with Angela?" Wow..." Harry was mildly shocked.

"Yes...He really did love her more than anything else. Well, your father was an exception, but Sirius and James were like brothers...Now, hush your mouth and quit interrupting." Angel said with amusement in her voice.

"I with I had something like that with...Someone." Jessica said, finishing her sentence before she got too far.

"Ah, who would be the lucky guy Jess?" James asked, the trademark grin spreading across his face.

"I know who..." Lily chimed in, a mischievous glint in her vivid emerald eyes.

"Lily Evans, if you tell a _soul_, much less James Potter, I will hex you into oblivion!" Jessica was quick to defend herself.

"Oh Jess, don't worry. No one will get your secret from me." Lily laughed at James' crestfallen stare at the two girls.

"Come on Jessica, you could trust me! Tell me, _please_!" James whined like a small child.

"Not a bloody chance in hell, Potter." Jessica growled. She definitely meant business.

"Okay, okay...nevermind then..." James replied sheepishly, making everyone but him and Jessica laugh.

After that matter was settled, the group finished their Butterbeers and went off separately to do some shopping. James, Remus, and Peter went up the big hill toward the Shrieking Shack, and Lily, Angel, and Jessica decided on taking the high road and soon found themselves inside a small bookshop.

"This place is so cute! I've never been in here before." Angel mused, wandering into the Herbology section.

Lily and Jessica found their way to a small corner filled with Muggle novels. There was everything from _'Gone With the WInd' _to _'Oliver Twist'._ Both Lily and Jessica loved muggle literature, and they dove right in.

"I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't made me read one of your books last year, Lil! Muggles are really creative writers!" Jessica giggled.

"That's one good thing about being muggle-born I guess." Lily replied, smiling casually, trying to hide the bitterness nagging at her.

"I'd trade in being a pureblood anyday just for these books! They're _wonderful._.." Jessica trailed off, losing herself in the pages of a particularly thick tome.

An hour or so later, all three girls emerged from the shop with heavy bags of books, and their change purses considerably lighter.

Lily checked her watch, "It's time to go meet everyone else at the School Gates."

Angel and Jessica nodded and headed off for the gates. The girls found the group, including Sirius and Angela, both looking disheveled, and decided to go back to the castle for the Halloween feast.

On the way to the castle, someone came up to Lily and told her she'd gotten an owl while she was out. Lily thanked the person and excused herself from the group to get her letter.

"Go on to the feast ahead of me, I will be there as soon as I read my post." Lily then ran off into the castle.

Shrugging, everyone did as they were told and began the feast.

"Guys, no offence, but I don't see the significance of this one story." Harry spoke up again.

"Harry Potter, we were just getting to the good part! Would you stop being so bloody impatient! You are just like your father..." Angela scolded, trailing off when she realized what she'd been saying.

"Harry," Remus said wearily, "do you honestly want to hear these stories or not?"

"Yes! I really do, I'm sorry. I will behave...go on." Harry apologized, feeling alarmed.

"Alright then, anyway..."

About twenty minutes into dessert, Lily appeared in the doorway of the Great Hall, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Lil, what's wrong?" Angel asked, both she and Jessica looking concerned.

Lily fell into the seat on the right of James, "My sister...She got married."

"Then what's the matter?" Sirius asked, but Jessica already knew.

"She didn't want you to know...Or you'd want to go...Petunia didn't want you there, did she?" Jessica said, feeling horrible for her friend.

Lily simply nodded her head fresh tears spilling down her already tear stained cheeks.

"Well, that's not _too_ bad. I mean, you two never really got along with each other anyway...did you?" Peter said, clueless to how much those words hurt the redhead.

Lily stared at the beady eyed boy in front of her and broke into full fledged sobs. Angel glared at Peter before an idea struck her.

"James," she was sitting on James' left, "This would be a great time to console Lily. Peter's ignorance just hurt her a lot...Do something."

It was just like a light went off in James' head. "Peter, you dolt! You are a bloody ignoramus! It doesn't matter if they were separated by the bloody Atlantic! They were still sisters and Lily _still_ feels betrayed. Apologize. Now." James growled dangerously.

"Sorry, i didn't realize..."Peter quickly said, quivering with fear of James.

"It's all right...Er--James, could I talk to you? Alone...If we could just step outside?" Lily said, turning to the Head Boy with a watery stare.

"Sure." James said, standing up and following Lily into the Entrance Hall and out of sight.

A half an hour later, the Halloween feast was over and the two still hadn't returned. Jessica suggested that they all go to the Common Room to wait and leave the pair alone. That is exactly what everyone did with the exception of Sirius and Angela.

"Where do you suppose they went?" Remus said casually as the small group entered the seventh floor hallway.

"Or, more appropriately, what do you think they've gotten themselves into?" Angel replied in a sly voice.

"Angel!" Jessica gasped.

"Bloody hell Angel, this is Lily we're talking about, not your sister." Remus said absently.

Jessica gasped again, and Angel rounded on the tired looking boy, "I cannot _believe _that you just said that. How _dare_ you! Stay clear of me and Angela from now on Lupin, you hear me?" With that, Angel stalked away toward the Portrait Hole.

Jessica glanced at Remus and Peter, both looking stunned, and ran to catch up with Angel.

"Hey you know that he didn't mean that, right?" Jessica sighed when she caught up with the angry brunette.

"I don't care! He should never have even thought anything along those lines! He pretty much called my sister a whore! He stepped _way_ over the line...A line that's not so thin in the first place!" Angel fumed.

"I know--Snidgets--but what will you...Oh my goodness..." Jessica trailed off due to the sight in front of her.

"Angel, I--"

"Shh, Remus, look!" Jessica breathed.

There, on the couch in front of the fireplace, were both Lily and James; Soundly asleep. James was slumped against the arm of the couch, his arms protectively wrapped around Lily, who was nested against his chest. Lily's letter lay discarded on the floor next to them.

"Wow..." Peter whispered.

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So...What did you think? **REVIEW!** Please?...Okay, I'm off... look for the next chapter soon!

** Serena Gemini**


	3. Moving On

Sorry for the lack of divisions in past and present... They took the asterisks out...this time, I will dash them out...Once again--So Sorry!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you could easily find in one of the Harry Potter books. I _do_ however own the following characters: Jessica, Angel, Angela, Sapphire, Marissa, and Jessalynn. Okay, please don't sue! Buh-Bye!

** Serena Gemini**

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"Let Remus and I wake them, we don't want everyone to walk in and find them like this...It's potentially embarrassing." Jessica smiled genuinely and Remus nodded in agreement.

Both crept up to the sleeping teenagers and smiled to themselves. After so long, the wait was over; James and Lily had finally figured it out.

"Hey sleepy heads, time to get up." Jessica said softly.

"Come on, you two... More people will be here any minute." Remus tapped James on the shoulder, causing the raven haired boy to stir.

Slowly, Lily opened her eyes as well. Her eyes darted around, and the color rose in her face, turning her a bright shade of pink.

"Hey guys, where's Padfoot?" James asked casually.

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"So it was just like that? What'd they talk about to create such a dramatic change?" Harry was shocked.

"We don't know... They never really told us." Remus said, cracking a small smile.

"All we do know is that after that night, they were practically inseparable." Angel smiled as well, remembering her friends.

"What happened next? How did everyone else react? What went on with Sirius and Angela, and---"

"Whoa, slow down there, slick," Jessica laughed, "Let us answer all of these burning questions in due time. You can't really rush these things now."

"Okay...Sorry." Harry said sheepishly. The adults smirked.

"Now," Remus started, stretching his arms out wide, "Sirius and Angela. I think that we should elaborate on them and Ange's--er--social group."

"Okay." Angel and Jessica nodded.

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"Why do you hang out with them, Padfoot? it's not like we mind Angela." James said one morning two weeks into November. Sirius had once again blown off the other three boys to hang out with Angela and her Slytherin friends.

"I don't really spend any time with her friends Prongs, you should know that I don't. I am just with Angela..." Sirius yawned.

"Bull. Padfoot, you almost forgot about going to the shack this month because you were showing off to Jessica's sister and that Sapphire girl! Now what would you call that?" James said, feeling irritation mount into anger.

"Ah, Prongs, just come off it! So what if I am around her friends? It doesn't change anything." Sirius grumbled, fumbling for his uniform.

"I wouldn't know Sirius, would it?" James replied seriously, fully dressed now, and adjusting his tie in a mirror by the door.

"Don't go there, James. You know that I will never want anything to do with any sort of dark magic." Sirius growled.

"Whatever, Sirius..." James left the room cooly, further angering his best friend.

"Why is James so moody today? One would think that he'd still be feeling blissful even two weeks after you agreed to go steady." Angel said, mockingly swooning over the thought later that morning as she met Lily and Jessica on their way to Charms.

"Oh, Sirius blew him off the other night and we caught him near the dungeons during patrols. He didn't look tousled enough to have spent the whole night alone with your sister, so he and James--er--exchanged words. Remus said that were bickering this morning too, so they'll both be a bit grumpy today." Lily replied, sighing heavily.

"You know...James' anger is completely uncalled for. Sirius _never_ hangs out around us. He's telling the truth." said a silky voice from behind the three Gryffindor girls.

Lily, Jessica, and Angel spun around to see two seventh year Slytherins.

"Jessalynn, Sapphire." Jessica said shortly in acknowledgement.

"Oh, look Sapphire, my sister is trying to act civil in front of her perfect little pals!" Jessalynn said in the same silky voice, but this time it was dripping with sarcasm.

"Really cute, Lynn...Did you just tell us that to get some attention, or is it the truth for once?" Jessica spat.

"Oh, well, which part? The fact that dear Mr. Black feels he's to good to associate with even his own blood, or the other fact that you are a little fake?" Jessalynn shot back, glaring at her sister as if daring her to try another remark.

"The former." Jessica said, gripping her want tightly from inside her robes.

"It's true," the other girl named Sapphire said, "Sirius Black has openly admitted to us that he wants nothing to do with any one besides Angela...the great prat."

Sapphire smirked arrogantly. She had shiny shoulder-length chestnut colored hair and eyes to match. They glittered with haughty mirth.

"Really? So why does that bother you then?" Lily asked, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Jessalynn's eyes narrowed, "We can't help the simple truth that he's an attractive pureblood who happens to belong to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black."

"And yet his family doesn't even recognize him as their blood. You'd have a better chance winning over his house elf." Lily said, still restraining her smile.

"Let's go, Saph. If people see us with this goody two-shoes mudblood, they might talk." Jessalynn sniggered as Lily's ears turned pink and Jessica's eyes narrowed on her sister dangerously.

Laughing, Jessalynn and Sapphire pushed the girls out of their way and continued on to class.

"Lily, I'm so sorry. My sister is such a rotten seed! She's just jealous---She's got a crush on James as well as Sirius." Jessica apologized.

"It's okay...I'm used to comments like that by now. Let's go, we're gonna be late and I want to tell James about what they said." Lily said, brushing off Jessalynn's harsh words.

However, a grin had broken out on Angel's face. Walking along, she explained to the other two what she had in mind.

"Well, if there's one thing I know about my sister is that she is horribly jealous. All I have to do is merely mention to her that Lynn fancies her man, and...Well, you get the idea."

Both Lily and Jessica grinned in approval.

"James, I have to talk to you," Lily hissed, barely on time for class, "It's about Sirius!"

James nodded stiffly, still in an obviously bad mood.

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"My dad was still mad?" Harry was stunned, "They were best friends!"

"Harry, haven't you and Ron ever gotten into a fight before?" Remus stated simply.

"Well, yeah...Nevermind...But one more thing?"

"Hmm?"

"Who's Sapphire? And what happened to Jessalynn?" Harry inquired.

"Sapphire was one of Jessalynn's best friends. I fought her myself several times during the first war. Very skilled witch, but she was too arrogant for her own good. She had a twin as well as Angel and I. Marissa is her name. Anyway, Marissa was the one who stopped Sapphire for good just before the attack on Godric's Hollow." Jessica said matter-of-factly.

"The poor girl didn't know who it was though until she said the final curse. Couldn't handle that...She's still in St. Mungo's closed ward." Remus added grimly.

"Oh..." Harry didn't know what to say.

"As for what happened to my sister, I have her locked away in a secure place. Azkaban is too good for her." Jessica spat venomously.

"Jess, it's okay. You deserve to be angry," Angel consoled her friend, "Jessalynn was on of the ones who killed her fiance." Angel continued before harry could ask why Jessica was suddenly so angry.

"That's horrible..." Harry felt guilty for bringing up the subject.

"Ah, Gideon...Outstanding courage, right up until the end." Remus reminisced sadly.

"Wait, Gideon---Gideon Prewett? Didn't it take five Death Eaters to take him and his brother down?" the three adults nodded, "Mad-Eye showed me a picture of him once...He told me about it...I'm so sorry."

"No, don't be Harry. It was a long time ago, and you didn't know...Well, we sould get on with things shouldn't we?" Jessica quickly changed the subject.

"Sure." Harry replied simply, feeling guilt wash over him as he caught the look of sorrow flashing across his Godmother's crystal blue eyes.

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Okay...that's it for chapter 3! Love ya!

** Serena Gemini**


	4. Love is in the air

I'm BACK!

Get ready for a pretty long chapter…this one took me a while to do—It's twenty pages long front and back written out. ALSO, I want to take this time to tell you all about (the real life) Angela! She really helped me come up with ideas for the next few chapters, and I would like to plug her stories! Her screen name is _insidebroomcloset, _so go check her stuff out! -…Oh, by the way—I know that Harry doesn't _really_ even have a godmother, but I want him to have one, so Jessica is it! Enjoy chapter 4!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you could easily find in one of the Harry Potter books. I _do_ however own the following characters: Jessica, Angel, Angela, Sapphire, Marissa, and Jessalynn. Okay, please don't sue! Buh-Bye!

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After Charms was over, Lily told Angel and Jessica to go ahead and she'd see them in their next class together after lunch; she and James had Ancient Runes next. Remus stayed behind from Sirius as he too had the class with Lily and James.

"What did you want to say?" James asked as he shoved his things into his backpack.

"James, Sirius is telling the truth about who he hangs out with. Jessalynn confirmed it." Lily told him, a serious look on her face.

"Wait…Jessalynn Peters? Jessica's sister? Lily, you're a bloody genius and all, but to believe her…?" James snorted as they began the trek to class.

"James Potter, I have my reasons. All I know is that regardless of whom Sirius is friends with; he is first and foremost a brother to you. I do not believe he'd lie to you about this." Lily said, looking to Remus for support.

"Honestly mate, perhaps you're overreacting just a little bit? I mean, I do remember that last year a certain boy with black hair and glasses blowing the lot of us off to take a certain red head flying." Remus said knowingly.

James' face screwed up with a look of defeat, "I swear you all are out to get me…Fine, I will apologize at lunch, okay?"

Lily grinned and gave Remus a 'thumbs-up', "I knew you'd see it our way darling!" She gave James a quick kiss and skittered into class.

Lunchtime came a little too quickly for James' liking. He didn't want to fight with his best friend and longer than he already had, but he was also stubborn. James hated admitting that he'd been wrong.

He stood up after class was over and waited for Lily. She was being congratulated by the professor on attaining the highest marks (again) on the latest exam.

"Yes, thank you again Professor. See you tomorrow…" Lily said quickly as James pulled her from the classroom.

"Where's Remus?" Lily asked after a quick kiss from James.

"Right here," Remus smiled, leaning against the wall by the doorway, "Let's go, I'm starved."

James grimaced as the three made their way to the Great Hall.

"Look James, here comes Sirius." Lily pointed out the obvious fact that Sirius was striding over to the group, who stood in the archway. Lily squeezed James' hand and promptly left to join Angel and Jessica at the Gryffindor table.

"Moony, stay here, will you?" James muttered before Remus could get away.

"Sure Prongs." Remus replied simply.

"James, can we talk?" Sirius said as he reached his fellows.

"Look Padfoot, I'm sorry. I should have trusted your word. I was stupid…Can you forgive me?" James said immediately.

Sirius looked thoughtful for a moment before a grin spread across his face.

"Of course I can Prongs! Just don't underestimate my character again, yeah?" he said, the last part very seriously.

"Yeah," James grinned as well and clapped his two best friends on the back, "Let's eat!"

"So, are you two back to being best mates then?" Peter asked as his fellow Marauders sat down to eat.

"Never stopped, Worm tail." James said, piling food onto his plate.

"Yeah, we just hit a roadblock…And in true Marauder style, we plowed right through it!" Sirius added, laughing.

"Well I'm glad. It's not right seeing either of you without the other." Angel said happily.

Later that evening, everyone had gathered in the Common Room to study.

"Why does Potions have to be so bloody difficult?" Peter cried, slamming his Potions book shut in frustration and scarring some second years.

"What are you stuck with now Peter?" Lily asked, craning her neck over James to better see what Peter was working on.

"I never should have taken N.E.W.T. level Potions…I cannot remember for the life of me what to do to make a common herbal remedy." Peter whined.

"Oh, that's not hard! You can take Russian comfrey root and garlic and grind it into a powder…Then it's called Knitbone—which is like a predecessor to Skele-grow. If you add an ounce of coltsfoot, you can create a cure for the common cold." James rattled off before Lily could answer.

"Oh yes, of course…" Peter said distractedly, returning to his essay.

"James Potter, I am proud of you. You are doing so much better in all of your classes lately." Lily kissed James on the cheek.

"Yeah mate, keep this up and you'll be an Auror no problem!" Remus said, looking up from his star chart.

"I hope so. I mean, I do want to follow in my dad's footsteps." James said thoughtfully.

"They'll be proud of you Prongs, they always have been." Sirius said earnestly.

"Thanks Padfoot," James stood up and stretched, "Well, I'm off to bed…Quidditch tomorrow!"

"Yeah, I should go too…Good night guys." Sirius agreed. He stood up as well, and both retreated to the boys' dormitory for the night.

The next day was the first Quidditch match of the season; Gryffindor versus Slytherin.

"Teams, mount your brooms!" shouted Madam Hooch, "Three…two…one—"and the whistle blew.

Fourteen Brooms raised high into the air, carrying their riders around the pitch.

Thirty minutes into the game, Slytherin was ahead seventy to forty. This was mainly due to the fact that Angela was Slytherin's Keeper. And try as he might, James could not convince Sirius, who was one of the Gryffindor beaters, to knock his girlfriend off her broom.

"Just shove her off! She has her team do it to you constantly! Knock a ruddy bludger in that general direction at least and help your team!" James shouted angrily.

Sirius paused for a moment. He took a deep breath and when a bludger came near him, he did what James told him. For the first time, he hit the bludger in Angela's direction.

It was like slow motion, watching the ball sail right for the Keeper's box. Angela was not paying attention, and didn't see it heading straight for her.

"AAARRRGGGHHH!" Angela was suddenly unconscious and falling to the ground.

"ANGELA—NO!" Sirius bellowed, streaking toward her as fast as he could go.

About twenty feet from the ground, he caught her and landed safely by the stands. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and signaled a time out. James landed next to Sirius just as Madam Pomfrey arrived on the scene.

"I listen to you and look what happens!" Sirius said sarcastically, his voice cracking.

"Angela won't care. She knows it's just a game! Come on, we've got to finish." James said as Angela was mounted on a stretcher and taken to the hospital wing. As James and Sirius flew back to their positions, the game resumed.

It was over fifteen minutes later. The final score: 210 to 70.

James landed amongst the happy crowd of Gryffindors to find a glowing Lily.

"You were wonderful!" she exclaimed before kissing James hard.

James grinned and pulled back. "Well, it was pretty easy after Sirius did what I told him to do." He said smugly.

Suddenly, Lily's cheeks flushed and her brow furrowed. "James Potter, you're horrible!"

Then she did it. In one swift movement, her hand collided with James' face. Lily groaned in frustration and stalked off for the castle.

"What was that about?" Jessica asked, coming up behind James.

"Dunno…" James replied, rubbing his cheek, "Did you see where Sirius landed?"

"He didn't…He went straight up to the castle on his broom as soon as the whistle blew. He said he'd be in the Common Room for the party though." Jessica replied, walking away.

James sighed and made his way to the Field House to change into his school robes.

"Lily…What are you doing here?" came the voice of a groggy Angela as she regained consciousness in the hospital wing.

"Sirius wanted me to tell you that he was here…He'll be back within the hour. I just wanted you to know that Sirius would never have hit you if it weren't for James. He was overly concerned about the game, and not for anyone else's safety." Lily replied.

"Lily, about James…I need to tell you something." Angela sat up slightly.

"What is it?" Lily felt uneasiness build in the pit of her stomach.

"It's about the night this week that you two didn't patrol together." Angela looked at the wall behind Lily as she said this.

"What?" Lily wasn't sure she wanted to hear what Angela was about to tell her.

"James was down in the Slytherin corridor, and he saw Jessalynn. She looked really upset, so instead of just yelling at her, he asked her what was wrong. She told him that we'd just had a row about Sirius and that now she felt horrible about it all. James asked her if there was anything that he could do, and she asked if he'd follow her into an empty classroom…He agreed and they…Oh Lily, I'm really sorry." Lily had burst into tears.

"No, thank you for telling me Angela. I need to go speak with James." Lily stood just as Sirius had entered the room.

"Lily, what's up?" he asked when he surveyed the situation.

"You'll find out soon enough!" She spat, barely choking back a sob. She briskly brushed past Sirius and flew from the room.

"Let James tell you…" Angela said with a chilly tone to her voice.

The Gryffindor victory party was in full swing when Lily burst through the Portrait Hole. She quickly found James and pulled him aside.

"What on earth has gotten into you today?" James asked bemusedly.

"I could ask you the same question, Potter." Lily hissed venomously.

"Potter…? Since when were we on a last name basis again?" James was taken aback.

"Since you decided you could take advantage of my trust you bloody prat!" Lily could feel her heart aching.

"What?" James looked incredulous.

"Don't act clueless Potter. I know what you did the other night! How could you? Especially after what you said on Halloween! I can't believe that I trusted you!" By now, Lily was almost shouting.

"Look Lily, I don't know—"

"The hell you don't! James, I know about everything—I know you cheated on me!"

"That is BULL! I would never do that to you! Who told you that?" James yelled.

"That doesn't matter. If you care about me so much, why did you do it?" Lily said, her eyes glowing.

"DO WHAT EVANS! I did nothing against you!" It was hearing James call her by her last name that hurt Lily more than anything.

"I'm not gonna take this…You're a cheating, lying arse—We're THROUGH!" Lily cried.

"FINE! Have a nice life Evans. I hope the next poor sap you involve yourself with is a lot smarter than I was!" James charged up the stairs to his room.

As Lily looked around, she saw that everyone in the room had become silent to watch the row. She instantly felt hot tears begin to stream down her face. She couldn't move.

"Come on Lil, let's all go talk." Angel said as she and Jessica quietly steered her up the staircase to their room.

* * *

"My dad did that…?" Harry was devastated.

"You'd find out if you'd let us finish." Angel said, smirking.

"Sorry…Jess, can I ask you how…How you could recall the conversation between my mum and Angela? You weren't there, were you?" Harry asked.

"Lily showed me the memory in the pensive she'd won in our sixth year. She didn't feel up to retelling it herself." Jessica answered simply, "Okay…"

* * *

"You've go t to be kidding me. She said that?" Sirius and Remus sat with a distraught James later that night around midnight.

"It's not true!" James croaked out.

"We know mate," Remus said, "You wouldn't do that to anyone, especially Lily."

"I want to know who told her." James growled his tone angry.

"I think…Angela. She said that Lynn was pleased with herself too." Sirius said quietly.

"So Angela said that I snogged Jessalynn? That's disgusting…And Lily believed it?" James was furious.

"I will talk to Angela in the morning. I'll see what really went on." Sirius replied.

"Wait—James, when you came in that night, you were acting…funny. You weren't yourself. What if you _did_ do something with Lynn that night? What if she _made_ you do it?" Remus suggested.

"Lily, you can't possibly believe her! She and Jessalynn would do just that sort of thing to get at you." Angel said.

"My sister is painfully jealous of you Lily. She has fancied James for years. I'd go so far as to say she is lustful over him." Jessica added.

"I don't know! I just don't want to get hurt!" Lily wailed

The next day flew by as quickly as it had come. Sirius was unable to talk to any of the Slytherin girls, much less Angela. Lily and James had refused to even look at each other. Both scarcely ate and hardly spoke to anyone. This behavior went on for the rest of the week until Friday night.

"Are you kidding me!"

"Sirius, it _did_ happen. I just…embellished a bit."

"Embellished?" Angela, you ruined them! And I don't even want to start on Jessalynn!"

"Sirius—"

"I can't deal with you right now…"

"I thought you loved me Sirius! Where are you placing your loyalties?"

"…With my brother. I'm sorry Angela. I do love you but we can go on if you are going to undermine my family."

"Don't do this…"

"I'll see you around I guess."

With that, Sirius left Angela standing alone outside the hospital wing. He was halfway to the Gryffindor Common Room when he met up with Jessica and Angel.

"Sirius, what's up?" Angel asked.

"Jessalynn cursed James. She forced him to kiss her and then had Angela lie about it to Lily…" And he told them what had just happened outside the hospital wing, feeling devastated.

"Merlin's beard…Lily will never believe you Sirius…" Jessica said miserably.

"Well we need to do something! Get them alone together somehow so they can talk…" Angela said frantically.

Sirius took a moment to think, "I've got it! I will tell James what really happened and you to can tell Lily. After you do, tell her to meet you at the lake at 11:30," Sirius knew it was about 10:45, "I will tell James to go there at the same time. We can hide out and watch them when they meet."

"Alright." Both Jessica and Angel nodded and they all ran to put the plan into action.

"James! James, get down here!" Sirius shouted as he bounded toward the Quidditch stadium.

"What?" James responded in a hollow tone as he met Sirius on the ground.

"You were cursed!" Sirius prayed this plan would work.

"Excuse me?" James replied, confused.

"Jessalynn put you under a spell that night when she kissed you, and she had Angela lie about that part to Lily." Sirius said in one long breath.

"Well a lot of good _that_ does me if Lily doesn't believe me!" James said, running a hand through his already wind swept hair in frustration.

"She's gonna be at the lake at 11:30. Go talk to her. Angel and Jessica are telling her the whole story right now." Sirius ignored the sarcasm.

"Padfoot, what's the point? She hates me again—I'm back to square one." James stared at the ground.

"Prongs trust me. Just go to her. You need to, you love her." Sirius implored.

James' head snapped up, "What if she doesn't love me?" He was close to tears.

"She does mate, I know it," was all Sirius could manage, "Hurry and get to the lake, it's nearly 11:30 now."

"Sure…" James choked.

Meanwhile, Jessica and Angel found Lily silently crying in the back of the library.

"Lil…" Jessica started, "Lily, come here…" She pulled Lily into a hug.

"Why'd he do it? I thought that he cared about me!" Lily sobbed at once.

"Lily, he _does_ care about you…James was forced into kissing Jessalynn. Then Angela lied to you about it. They were trying on purpose to screw everything up!" Angel desperately wanted her to understand.

"Look, we want to tell you more…meet us at the lake in ten minutes, okay?" Jessica looked at her (wizarding) watch anxiously.

"Sure…" Lily said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"Phase one is complete." Sirius said as he met Angel and Jessica behind a large boulder by the lake. James was already sitting at the water's edge, staring blankly at his moonlit reflection.

"Shh…Here comes Lily!" Angel hissed. The three knelt down and watched closely.

"James…What's going on?" Lily was surprised.

"Did they tell you?" James asked, not moving from where he sat.

"Yes." Lily replied simply.

"I didn't cheat on you…Not willingly anyway." James felt his breath catch in his throat.

"How was I supposed to know that James?" Lily replied stubbornly.

"You were _supposed_ to trust me!" James said, his temper flaring.

"Don't yell!" Lily yelled.

"And you can? Bloody hell Lily, I don't want to do this!" James stood and spun around to face Lily.

"Merlin...James, we're just two completely different people—Why even try!" Lily cried.

"Why?" James spluttered.

"Yes, why! How would it ever work? Why—"

James suddenly cut Lily's sentence short. He quickly stepped forward and pressed his lips to hers. She struggled against him at first, but only for a moment. She soon gave in and kissed back with all the emotion she had pent up inside her heart. James took Lily's hands in his and pulled back.

"I love you, that's why." He said in a husky voice.

"Oh James…" Lily breathed, fresh tears falling from her emerald eyes.

"I love you Lily. With everything that I have inside of me, I love you. When you're happy, I am too. When you're sad, so am I. For as long as I live I will love you. I will never let anyone hurt you again like that. Never." James confessed, his own eyes brimming with tears.

"James…Oh James, I love you too!" Lily whimpered, clinging to James' hands.

"Then why…?" James was grinning.

"I didn't want to admit it because I thought it would hurt more if things didn't work out between us. I was afraid…So I trusted what Angela said. I'm sorry…I'm so sorry! I love you and I never want to be away from you again James. This past week all that I've wanted to do is run up and kiss you and tell you that I didn't care anymore what happened. I've missed you so much…everything about you. I love you James." Lily declared, shaking all over.

"I missed you too." James whispered, pulling Lily into his arms and calming her.

It was slow at first, but gradually picked up. The sound of three pairs of hands clapping caused James and Lily to look toward the boulder where Sirius, Angel, and Jessica were now practically dancing around.

"Great idea Sirius, it worked!" Angel grinned.

"Thanks…" Sirius brushed the dirt off of his pant legs.

"Okay, lets get to bed…These two will want to—erm—do some 'patrolling'. Goodnight lovebirds!" Jessica then started up the hill.

Lily gasped at the comment. James just laughed as Sirius and Angel followed Jessica up the hill, winking and giving the couple the 'thumbs-up'.

"Let's go, it's kind of late…" James said a moment later with a tiny yawn.

"James, are you sure you want to do that?" Lily said quietly, an innocent look on her face.

"What…?" James looked at Lily, puzzled.

Lily sighed dramatically, "Are you going to kiss me again or not? After all, we do have a week's worth of catching up to do."

James smiled coyly and leaned down to begin 'catching up'.

"Angela, just talk to him and tell him what you just told me." Angel said exasperatedly to her sister almost a month later.

"I've tried that Angel, but he won't listen! He's being so stubborn…" Angela huffed.

"You said that he told you he loved you, right?"

"Yes…"

"And I know that you love him too, but I don't think he can believe that from you right now. So go to the extreme and show him that you mean what you've been saying." Angel thought aloud.

"What are you suggesting?" Angela asked.

"Apologize to Lily and James—In front of everyone. Tonight at dinner would be the perfect time." Angel replied.

"You're serious?" Angel coughed.

"It's the last day before the Christmas holidays Ange. Do you want to spend it without him?" Angel said matter-of-factly.

"Do you think it'll work?"

"If you're sincere it will."

Later that night, Angela composed herself and marched determinedly toward the Gryffindors.

"Lily, James, I have something that I need to say." She began.

"More lies, perhaps?" Sirius interrupted coldly.

"No…In fact, just the opposite…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you both. I know it was wrong of me, and I sincerely hope that you can find it in you to forgive me. I don't know what I was thinking." Angela then gave a small smile and turned to go to her seat.

Before she got twenty steps away, Lily called to her, "Angela?"

"Yes?" She turned around hopefully.

"We forgive you. Thank you." She smiled and James nodded in agreement.

Angela nodded as well and turned around again to leave.

"And…Angela?" It was James calling her this time.

"Yeah…" She trailed off. Sirius was standing right in front of her, close enough to touch.

"Hi." He smiled.

"Sirius…" Angela beamed.

Sirius took Angela's hand in his and gently kissed the back, sending chills all through her.

"I've really missed you Sirius. I love you so much, I am so sorry." Angela said, choking on her words.

"I know. I love you too Ange." Sirius said quietly. He tightened his hold on her hand and led Angela out of the Great Hall.

"So which broom closet do you expect to find them in this time?" asked Peter a moment later.

"I think we can skip patrols tonight," Lily said surprising everyone, "The way I see it, she actually helped James and I. If I hadn't felt what it was like to have him in my life one minute and ripped from it the next…I needed to be miserable."

"Yeah…So did I." James agreed.

* * *

Hmm…FOURTEEN pages typed out! Okay, I'd better get a truckload of reviews people…That's the only way chapter five is going to go up! Okay, have a peachy keen day!

Serena Gemini

**(REVIEW!)**


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